Australian Human Microbiome Biobank · QUT, Brisbane
Information for Donors
By supporting the Australian Human Microbiome Biobank, you are helping to build a scientific resource that could transform how we understand and treat disease. Here's everything you need to know about donating a sample to AHMB.
Why it matters
Your donation could change lives
One of the most promising areas of modern medicine is the development of treatments made from beneficial bacteria, using good microbes as medicine. To develop these treatments, scientists need access to well preserved and carefully identified microorganisms from real human donors.
This is exactly what AHMB provides. Every sample donated to our biobank is processed to create a collection of individual microbial isolates that Australian and international researchers can use to make discoveries that benefit people everywhere.
Support health research
Your donation directly supports scientific research into the links between microorganisms and human health, from gut disorders to skin and immune conditions.
Enable future discoveries
Isolates from your sample could be used by researchers for years or even decades to come, making your contribution a lasting investment in scientific progress.
Benefit all Australians
AHMB is built to serve the Australian research community and beyond. Your donation helps ensure Australian scientists have the resources they need to lead world-class microbiome research.
The Process
What happens to your donation?
Once you donate a sample to AHMB, here is what happens from the moment it arrives at our laboratory through to when the isolates become available for research.
Your sample is collected at our facility
Samples are collected onsite at the Translational Research Institute in Brisbane, where our laboratory is located. The collection process is simple and non invasive for most sample types, and our team will guide you through what is involved before you decide to donate.
We separate and grow individual microbes
Our scientists separate individual microbes from the community of microorganisms in your sample and grow them on their own. Each microbe we successfully grow becomes what we call an isolate. These isolates, not the original sample, form the basis of our collection.
Many of the bacteria we work with, particularly those from the gut, can only survive in oxygen free environments. Our purpose built laboratory allows us to recover a much wider variety of microbes than most laboratories.
We identify each individual microbe
Each isolate is carefully identified using whole genome sequencing. You can think of this like a genetic fingerprint that tells us what the microbe is, how it is related to others and what makes it unique. This information is recorded and stored alongside each isolate.
We check the quality of every isolate
Before any isolate is added to our collection, it goes through a thorough quality check to confirm it is correctly identified, viable and meets our strict standards. Only isolates that pass every check are included in the collection.
We store each isolate safely for the future
Isolates that pass our quality checks are carefully frozen and stored in our secure biobanking facility. Multiple copies of each isolate are maintained so that scientists can access them repeatedly without the risk of the collection being depleted.
Scientists put the isolates to work
Approved researchers from Australia and around the world can request access to individual isolates from our collection to use in their research. The original donated sample is never shared. Researchers work only with the isolated microbes, studying how they affect health, developing new treatments and advancing our understanding of the human microbiome.
What we collect
Sample types accepted by AHMB
AHMB accepts samples from four sites on the human body. Each sample type provides a unique window into a different microbial community. We have put together step-by-step guides for each sample type to help you understand what the collection process involves.
Your privacy
We never store your DNA
We never store human tissue or DNA, only microorganisms. Your personal details are kept completely private and are never shared with researchers. Anyone accessing samples from our collection has no way of identifying who donated them.
Your sample is given a unique reference number so it can be tracked through our process, but your identity is removed before any scientific work begins and stored securely at QUT in accordance with Australian privacy law.
"No researcher who accesses the individual isolates from your donated sample will ever know who you are."
Ethics & your rights
Our commitment to you
Donor trust is fundamental to everything we do at AHMB. We are deeply committed to the ethical, transparent and respectful handling of every sample we receive, and we want every donor to feel fully informed and confident in that commitment.
Your privacy is protected. All samples are de-identified before entering the collection. No researcher who accesses your donated microbes will ever be able to identify you. Your information is stored securely at QUT in accordance with Australian privacy law.
You are always in control. Participation is entirely voluntary and you can withdraw your consent at any time. We will never use your sample for any purpose beyond what you have agreed to.
Full transparency. We provide clear, plain language information about exactly how your sample will be used, who can access it and what your rights are before, during and after your involvement.
Common Questions
Questions people often ask about donating
Your sample is collected onsite at our facility at the Translational Research Institute in Brisbane and processed in our laboratory. Our team separates individual microbes, grows them, identifies each one, checks their quality and stores them as individual isolates. Your personal details are removed and replaced with a reference code before any scientific work begins. Only the isolated microbes are made available to approved researchers. The original sample is not shared.
Yes, you can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting our team. Your original sample can be destroyed, even if it has already been processed. If individual isolates have already been separated and added to our collection with your personal details removed, it may not be possible to identify and withdraw those specific isolates. Our team will talk you through your options if this situation arises.
Only approved researchers can access isolates from our collection. Your original sample is never shared. Every request is reviewed to ensure the research is ethical, appropriate and consistent with what donors agreed to at the time of donation. Researchers can only use isolates for the approved purpose.
For most sample types, the collection process is simple and non invasive. Samples are collected onsite at our facility and our team will guide you through what is involved before you decide to donate. You can ask questions at any time and are never obliged to proceed.
Donors do not receive financial payment or compensation, and no individual results are returned. Samples can not be used for personal testing or diagnosis. Your contribution can have a lasting impact by helping scientists make discoveries that lead to better treatments for a range of health conditions. You play a direct role in supporting important research that benefits the wider community.
No, never. AHMB does not collect, store or test human DNA in any form. We are only interested in the bacteria and other microorganisms that live in and on your body. When we analyse the genetic information of the microbes in our collection, we are reading the DNA of the microbe. No human tissue of any kind is stored at AHMB.
Interested in donating?
Register your interest and our team will be in touch when we are accepting donations. Your contribution could help shape the future of microbiome research in Australia.
Australian Human Microbiome Biobank · Centre for Microbiome Research, QUT